Written Answers Friday 25 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Crime

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount of assets and proceeds of crime was (a) recovered from serious organised crime and (b) allocated to the CashBack for Communities scheme in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10.

Kenny MacAskill: The money secured by the Crown Office is the amount the courts have authorised to be recovered, but there can be a delay before that money is secured and paid into the Scottish Consolidated Fund. This can result in a difference between the COPFS figures announced each year and the amount available to be spent in the following year on Cashback. The annual allocation to the Cashback programme is based on what is transferred to the Scottish Consolidated Fund.

  In addition, in 2008-09 and 2009-10, around £500,000 has also been set aside for the Crown Office and the police service to provide specialist staff and financial investigators to boost their capacity in recovering even more assets and criminal profits.

  The total amount of money secured by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (including both the National Casework Division and Civil Recovery Unit) through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is £5.5 million (2007-08), £6.3 million (2008-09) and £5.5 million (2009-10). The amounts allocated to the Cashback for Communities scheme were £4.4 million (2007-08), £5.4 million (2008-09) and £5.0 million (2009-10).

  No distinction is made for the level of criminality that has led to the recovery of money and assets so it is not possible to advise the proportion of money that comes from serious organised crime.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps ministers are taking to ensure equity of access to education for all sick children and young people irrespective of illness, age and where they live.

Adam Ingram: Local authorities are required by the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 to make special arrangements for pupils who are unable to attend school due to prolonged ill health to receive education elsewhere than at an educational establishment. This duty applies in relation to all children and young people who are unable to attend school due to prolonged ill health irrespective of illness, age and where they live.

  In 2001 the Scottish Government issued guidance to local authorities to support them in the implementation of this duty.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers monitor access to education for sick children and young people.

Adam Ingram: Scottish ministers do not monitor access to education for sick children and young people as education authorities are responsible for the provision of education to children and young people who are unable to attend school due to ill health.

  The Scottish Government collects information on the number of children and young people who receive education outwith school due to ill health. This is available from the statistics publication Children Educated Outwith School 2009 which is available from:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/10/26154423/0.

  In addition, as part of their routine programme of inspection, HMIE inspect hospital education and outreach services across Scotland.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers are aware of how many children and young people fall behind in their education because of illness or poor health.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not known. However, 822 pupils received education outwith school due to ill health in 2008-09.

  Local authorities are required by the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 to make special arrangements for pupils who are unable to attend school due to prolonged ill health to receive education elsewhere than at an educational establishment. However, the type of provision to be made is not stipulated.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities use a hospital-based education service to support children and young people who cannot attend school because of illness or poor health.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.

  Local authorities are required by the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 to make special arrangements for pupils who are unable to attend school due to prolonged ill health to receive education elsewhere than at an educational establishment. However, the type of provision to be made is not stipulated.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is measuring the cost of physical inactivity across Scotland and in what format it (a) publishes and (b) will in future publish this information.

Shona Robison: Physical activity levels are measured and published annually via the Scottish Health Survey. We do not routinely measure the cost of physical inactivity.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much physical inactivity costs the NHS in Scotland in relation to (a) lower gastrointestinal cancer, (b) breast cancer, (c) diabetes, (d) coronary heart disease and (e) cerebrovascular disease.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-34444 on 21 June 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS in Scotland will follow the lead of the NHS in England by measuring and publishing the cost of physical inactivity at the local level, for example by NHS board, local authority or community planning partnership area.

Shona Robison: Physical activity levels are measured and published annually via the Scottish Health Survey. We have no plans to routinely measure the cost of physical inactivity.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Health Scotland has appointed a research team to evaluate implementation and compliance with the objectives and relevant requirements of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005; when it expects the research to be completed, and whether the team and NHS Health Scotland will report on any of the research objectives on an interim basis.

Nicola Sturgeon: Part of the Scottish Government’s ongoing and encompassing 41 point package of measures to tackle alcohol misuse, detailed in Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action,  is a portfolio of studies developed by NHS Health Scotland to monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of the Government’s strategy.

  This includes evaluation of the implementation of, and compliance with, the objectives and requirements of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 which, following a competitive tendering process, was commenced by the Scottish Centre for Social Research in February 2010. The final report is due in March 2013. It is intended that research findings will be reported upon, where appropriate, in interim briefing papers.

Medication

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-10849 by Shona Robison on 26 March 2008, whether it considers that the situation has changed from that identified in 2008 whereby some patients were being prescribed antidepressants that were unlikely to have a therapeutic benefit and what work it has undertaken to monitor this situation.

Shona Robison: Since 2008 there has been significant work to support appropriate prescribing in Scotland through the work of the mental health collaborative which is in place to work with NHS boards in supporting delivery of NHS mental health targets.

  Research work undertaken by the University of Aberdeen, and published in the British Journal of General Practice, September 2009, would suggest that in 99% of cases, the prescribing is in accordance with clinical guidelines.

NHS Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any NHS boards owe payment for services to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill) and, if so, what action it will take to ensure that the money is transferred.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has a number of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with other NHS boards across Scotland. The SLAs are based on a three-year, rolling average activity level and cover all specialties within the board rather than separate agreements with Royal Hospital for Sick Children. The three-year rolling averages are reviewed with health boards on an annual basis and any activity or financial adjustments are made to the SLA at that stage As part of the year-end accounting process for 2009-10, all NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde balances were formally agreed with other NHS boards.

NHS Finance

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula for funding NHS boards will be fully implemented for each board.

Nicola Sturgeon: In order to ensure there was a smooth transition to new funding arrangements for NHS Scotland the Scottish Government committed to phasing in the target shares calculated by the NRAC Formula by way of "differential growth". Under this methodology, all boards continue to enjoy real-terms growth in their allocations year-on-year, with those below their target share receiving more growth than those above until the new distribution is achieved over time. In this way no board receives a cut in funding.

  This approach to phasing in funding has been the practice under both the previous SHARE and Arbuthnott formulae. Despite the constraints of the current economic and financial climate, an additional £13 million has been provided to NHS boards below target in financial year 2010-11.

  As the target shares of NHS boards change on an annual basis to reflect changes in the relative need of their populations, it is not possible to provide a date when all NHS boards will reach their target share. However, we will ensure that this happens are quickly as resources allow.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the medical staffing expenditure was in each territorial NHS board for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: A breakdown of the amount spent by territorial boards on medical and dental staff for 2008-09 and 2009-10 is shown in the following table:

  

 
Medical and Dental Pay Costs


2008-09
2009-10


£000
£000


NHS Ayrshire and Arran 
56,575
57,836


NHS Borders 
19,710
20,154


NHS Dumfries and Galloway 
27,533
28,591


NHS Fife 
55,656
52,540


NHS Forth Valley 
43,882
45,253


NHS Grampian 
122,283
123,591


NHS Greater Glasgow 
328,052
329,922


NHS Highland 
61,479
61,251


NHS Lanarkshire 
91,227
91,941


NHS Lothian 
174,524
183,713


NHS Orkney 
4,687
5,411


NHS Shetland 
4,483
5,956


NHS Tayside 
97,538
98,202


NHS Western Isles 
5,098
5,034


Unified Boards
1,092,727
1,109,395



  Source: Figures taken from the Scottish Financial Return 15 which is an analysis of the gross cost of salaries and wages (i.e. including employer’s share of national insurance and superannuation).

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on medical locums was in each territorial NHS board for (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally available in respect of substantive NHS medical staff undertaking locum work. Expenditure on agency locum doctors is shown in the following table:

  

Health Board
Total 2008-09
Total 2009-10


Ayrshire and Arran
£2,048,004
£2,719,299


Argyll and Bute
£380,018
£0


Borders
£299,016
£542,367


Dumfries and Galloway
£1,382,631
£2,735,478


Fife
£2,235,818
£2,708,564


Forth Valley
£1,390,000
£1,499,487


Greater Glasgow and Clyde 
£6,408,816
£7,288,868


Grampian 
£2,934,454
£3,276,282


Highland
£3,018,694
£3,408,344


Lanarkshire 
£3,069,234
£3,069,551


Lothian
£2,771,294
£4,999,299


Orkney 
£1,070,737
£729,686


Shetland
£307,424
£433,838


Tayside
£1,055,830
£2,054,320


Western Isles
£645,209
£614,046



  Source: NHS National Services Scotland National Procurement data collected from NHSScotland Boards accounts payable information.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the pay rates are for medical locums in the new national contract.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the set national rate of pay is for locum doctors employed through agencies, both for hospital and out-of hours services work.

Nicola Sturgeon: The pay rates for medical locums in the new national contract are based on NHS Circular PCS (DD) 2009/2 and 3. Electronic versions of the circulars are available at www.show.scot.nhs.uk .

  Pay Bands

  

New Grade
Hourly PayRange (Min)
Hourly Pay Range (Max)


FY1 
£15.84
£20.36


FY2 
£19.69
£25.31


ST1 
£23.16
£29.78


ST2 
£23.16
£29.78


ST3 
£25.51
£32.80


Speciality Doctor 
£20.91
£20.91


Consultant 
£35.82
£48.29

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the pay rates are for internal medical locums.

Nicola Sturgeon: As at 1 April 2010, the locum rates for doctors in training and specialty doctors are set out in Section 8 of NHS Circular PCS (DD) 2010/4. Rates for locum consultants are set slightly differently. If a locum has never held a substantive NHS consultant post they are paid at the first point of the consultant contract salary scale as set out in Appendix 3 of NHS Circular PCS (DD) 2010/5. However, if they have gained consultant level experience outside the NHS, this is normally taken into account when agreeing their starting salary. Electronic versions of the circulars are available at www.show.scot.nhs.uk .

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will accept the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report, Using locum doctors in hospitals , in full.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes.

NHS Staff

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33653 by Nicola Sturgeon on 1 June 2010, what information has been or will be made available from NHS boards to the National Review Group on posts that may or will become surplus to requirements in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 as a result of forward planning involving service design or cessation of activity that is not evidence-based.

Nicola Sturgeon: Detailed proposals for the remit and operation of the scrutiny group are being developed and will be discussed collaboratively with the staff side and employers before they are finalised. The group is likely to focus on 2010-11 in the first instance.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to ensure that potential risks to patient safety arising from the use of locum doctors, as highlighted in the Audit Scotland report, Using locum doctors in hospitals , are minimised.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to allow written assessments regarding the performance of locum doctors to be shared between NHS boards and agencies, in order to highlight any concerns relating to patient safety.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that all locum doctors employed in hospitals and for out-of-hours services are given appropriate support and full induction prior to commencing employment.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that all NHS boards have a formal policy on the supervision of locum doctors.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend the Locum Code of Practice to specify arrangements for reporting poor performance.

Nicola Sturgeon: In March 2010 we reminded NHS boards of the need to comply with the existing code of practice for the management of temporary medical staff. We accept Audit Scotland’s subsequent recommendation that the code of practice should be updated. We are currently consulting with NHSScotland chief executives on a package of measures designed to reduce demand for temporary medical staff and, where their use is unavoidable, ensure they are both high quality and affordable. These proposals, developed by a group which includes key stakeholders including NHS representatives, and the British Medical Association, will address issues around performance management of locums. Final guidance for boards on the implementation of the proposals expected to be published later this year.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors employed by the NHS carry out locum work in addition to their substantive post.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not centrally collected.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to address the increasing difficulty in filling obstetrics and gynaecology and ophthalmology locum posts that were reported in the Audit Scotland report, Using locum doctors in hospitals .

icola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is leading work with key stakeholders to develop a package of measures designed to reduce demand for temporary medical staff and, where their use is unavoidable, ensure they are both high quality and affordable. These measures are currently under consultation with NHSScotland chief executives and are due to be published later this year. These measures will help boards to prioritise recruitment in specific areas where they have high levels of need.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring in new planning procedures in relation to the decision-making process for onshore wind farms.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring in new guidance on the siting of onshore wind farms.

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the reported statement by a Scottish Government spokesman in relation to wind farm applications in The Press and Journal of 10 June 2010 that "we are working to deliver an increasingly effective and efficient planning system and have introduced simplified policies and procedures to speed up the decision-making process", what changes have been introduced to speed up the decision-making process for onshore wind farm applications since May 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: The requirements for processing planning applications are set out in Planning Circular 4/2009 – Development Management . The procedures are intended to improve efficiency in developing and determining applications as well as providing greater certainty and speed of decision making. The circular is available on the Scottish Government’s website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/07/03153034/0.

  Most of the changes to the planning system came into force on 3 August 2009 and, for the most part, apply only to planning applications or appeals made on or after that date.

  Planning application procedures only apply to proposed wind farms up to 50 megawatts, while proposed developments exceeding 50 megawatts are determined under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 by the Scottish Ministers. Accordingly, the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit have revised the pre-application scoping process for developers. This fresh approach re-emphasises the need to focus on early engagement and on efforts to assist the developer in identifying the key environmental issues of their proposal by drawing on the knowledge and experience of local authorities, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage and other bodies such as the Forestry Commission at pre-application stage thereby reducing the need for later alterations that could lead to delay. The introduction of focussed and specific gate-checking meetings has been warmly received by planning authorities and other consultees. Gate-checking is carried out following receipt of an applicant’s Environmental Statement and allows the parties involved to test understanding and clarify issues directly with the developer. It has proven to be particularly useful when dealing with complex, large scale applications.

  With reference to The Press and Journal article of 10 June 2010 regarding Calliachar, the earlier decision related to an application made under the Electricity Act, with the current application being subject to a planning decision by the Scottish Ministers under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. A decision on the case will be made as soon as possible.

  Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) was launched on 4 February 2010 and includes the Scottish Government’s planning policies on the siting of wind farms. The SPP is part of the recent reforms to the planning system and states that planning authorities should prepare spatial frameworks for wind farms in their development plans. Development plans will be reviewed on a five-yearly cycle providing more confidence to investors, communities and to planning authorities in the decision making process. The SPP is available on the Scottish Government’s website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/02/03132605/0.

  Planning Advice Note 45 Renewable Energy Technologies is currently being reviewed to provide up-to-date advice, signposting sources of technical guidance and the latest good practice approaches.